Here is some information on Real Earnings in constant 1982 dollars, in
January of each year:
1964 - $7.79 (first available)
1974 - $8.78
1976 - $8.43
1978 - $8.69
1980 - $8.10
1982 - $7.88
1988 - $7.84
1992 - $7.56
1996 - $7.55
2000 - $8.02
Today - $8.26
(It is worth noting that real wages have done better under Bush's first
term than under Clinton's first term, or either of Reagan's terms.)
Note that the above includes only wages. BLS also publishes an
"Employment Cost Index" which measures the *total* compensation given to
employees. A big factor in this, of course, is health insurance
contributions. The ECI is up by around 5.2% under Bush's term... but the
historical data only goes back to the 1980's, so it really isn't suitable
for the conversation at hand.
Anyhow, its hard to argue from this data that increased productivity is
negatively impacting jobs and wages.
As far as the productivity data goes, the US has sustaing 2% + labor
productivity in the nonfarm business sector since 1998. That includes
whopping increases of 4.4% in each of 2002 and 2003.
In fairness productivity did increase pretty steadily between 1957 and 1969
- although by my eyeballing it,. I think that the current productivity boom
is greater - and had significant job growth at the same time. But, I also
don't think that the current situation is as bad as you describe.
JDG
_______________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world,
it is God's gift to humanity." - George W. Bush 1/29/03
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